The University of South Florida St. Petersburg PRIDE Alliance Interview By Kayla Doria Ward

By Kayla Doria Ward

This week, I wanted to shine some light on the PRIDE Alliance at the University of South Florida’s St. Petersburg Campus (USFSP). The St. Petersburg campus is smaller than the main Tampa campus. This can pose a challenge for incoming freshmen or students who live on campus and want to get involved in the community. USF Tampa has about 700 active student organizations and clubs. USFSP has about 65 registered student organizations and clubs. With limited resources due to its size, students may find it challenging to feel a sense of belonging.

I had the privilege of sitting down with Melanie Carnero (She/Her), a senior at USFSP and the president of the PRIDE Alliance on the St. Petersburg campus. She wears many hats, but her main role is to inform and talk with members and interested students. In the short time I had with her, I could see how passionate she is about the community. She is truly involved in the club's current operations, as well as its history and the beginning of what pride is known as today.

The Main Goal

When asked what her main goal was for the club, she surprisingly said it had very little to do with events or its inner workings. Overall, she wants to provide a safe space for the LGBTQ community and any curious students. Usually, if a student wants to join a club, such as Chess or Swimming, they are likely to have an interest in that topic or some background knowledge. But for Carnero, it's about having a safe space and a place to go when you feel like there's nowhere else.

The Alliance recently hosted a Bi Bingo Night and had the biggest turnout of the semester! Carnero was “surprised, but so excited to see so many people coming out for a bingo night. We have a lot of bingo nights, but it was great to see the competitiveness and friendships in the crowd for Bi Bingo.”

The History Behind Modern-Day Pride

For any readers unfamiliar with, or interested in the history of the pride movement, Carnero shared a short summary of the Stonewall Riots.

“The Stonewall Inn was a very popular gay bar in New York. Really a place where anyone could freely express themselves without criticism from the world. In 1969, a major protest erupted after police raided the bar. Instead of letting them harass and arrest the patrons, the community fought back. That is what helped modern-day civil rights movements and the rights we have today, like making this club at the university. It was kind of the start of being able to freely express ourselves and have things like Pride Parades to celebrate the win.”

The alliance recently hosted “History and Zinemaking.” It included discussion of the Stonewall Riots, the birth of a movement, and the aftermath following the protests.

What the Alliance Provided for Carnero

Overall, Carnero has found many friendships and supportive members through the alliance. She has also had the privilege of meeting with the mayor of St. Petersburg and collaborating with St. Petersburg-area nonprofits.

Her favorite recent events as President were Bi Bingo and the USFSP Halloween Fest. She noted that the Halloween Fest went better than she could have expected.

“I thought going into the event we would get one or two Karens, but everyone was super supportive and interested! We had different LGBTQ+ flags on display, and a lot of parents of the kids would come up and ask what they meant. It was great to see so much interest.”

Community Spotlight

One non-profit Carnero wanted to highlight was Project No Labels. The organization provides affordable therapy to the LGBTQIA+ community in the Tampa Bay area. The first three sessions are free, and the program offers additional resources.

Donations are greatly appreciated; they go directly toward funding sessions and supporting the community.

Connect with PRIDE Alliance

If you are a USF student, you can find more information about the organization's meetings and events on their website or social media page. Both will be linked at the end of this article.

If you are a university student, I highly encourage you to look into your own university resources. Creating or finding a safe space such as a PRIDE Alliance can change countless students' lives. If you're a curious reader, I urge you to look into non-profits or community-led programs near you. Whether you're looking for support or like-minded friends, there's a community out there.

Please note that the organization is a part of USF. Only USF students can join, participate, and communicate with the group's officers and events.

Resources

https://www.projectnolabels.org/
https://givebutter.com/projectnolabels
https://www.instagram.com/usfsppride/
https://bullsconnect.usf.edu/pridesp/home/
https://bullsconnect.usf.edu/pride/home/